These resources can help boost your online presence
Instagram Corner
SHARE POSTS TO STORIES
When you share a post to your feed, be sure to then click the paper airplane-looking button in the bottom right-hand corner to share it to your stories.
Why? An article in Entrepreneur published earlier this year explains it nicely, find it at bit.ly/3d3buhm . Simply put: The news feed prioritizes family, friends, people who are tagged in photos and those profiles a person regularly interacts with; this is not likely to be your office. As such, the article says, “Sharing to your story is a way to be on the offensive against the friends and family algorithm.”
Other considerations when posting:
→ Is there a call to action that is consistent with your goals for the platform? For example, if “to gain new patients” is your goal, a call to action consistent with that: “call to schedule an appointment.”
→ Are you posting at times consistent with your audience, not just your schedule? If you have a business Instagram profile, pop over to the analytics tab and analyze when good times to post are.
→ Are you using hashtags? Hashtags help increase your viewing opportunity by potentially engaging new users who are interested in the hashtag you use. Find some useful ones in this post (bit.ly/OMSocialJuly ) or on p.25.
Observances: Diabetes and Smoking
THE AOA OBSERVES AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH in November. (OM published a wealth of information about diabetes in October. See optometricmanagement.com/issues/2020/october-2020 .) Offer statistics about prevalence, the eye-related complications of the disease and how annual comprehensive eye exams can help maintain eyesight for as long as possible. A few graphic examples are available to download.
Additionally, the AOA and American Cancer Society recognize Nov. 19 as Great American Smokeout. It is a day to urge smokers to quit, or create a plan to do so. This topic is especially conducive to a live video. A script may look like: Hello! Today, Great American Smokeout, is an occasion used to quit or plan to quit smoking. This habit comes at no small cost and includes risks related to eye health. Those who smoke are at an increased risk for getting cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and optic nerve problems, to name a few. If you’re concerned about your eyesight and preserving it, quit smoking today. Give us a call to discuss these risks.
Dr. April Jasper provides an example video for use on social media in conjunction with the Great American Smokeout.
Use Twitter Hashtags to Connect with Patients 0nline
Nov. 11 #VeteransDay
→ Do you employ veterans? If so, celebrate their service on social media. Otherwise, highlight any military discounts or simply gratitude. Don’t forget the hashtag.
Nov. 26 #Thanksgiving
→ Wish all of the members of your community a happy day of thanks.
Nov. 28 #ShopSmall
→ Offering a sale in honor of Small Business Saturday? Make sure to promote it with the hashtag ahead of time as well as on this day. If you’re not offering a sale, take this occasion as an opportunity to educate your community on the nature of your practice, which is as a small business that needs the support of its community to thrive.
→ IMAGE DOWNLOAD LINK
bit.ly/OMtoolkits
All corresponding images are available to download and use for free.
→ BONUS SOCIAL CONTENT
Dr. Jesslin Quint offers tips for how to "Engage Patients with Social Media." Follow the link to check it out.
